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Donn Hewes
KeymasterI planned on putting them in the mill. There still big logs!
KeymasterYes, I think the forks played a big part in the split trunk. We had just dropped another big one with a deep frost crack, but not the same twin stems. It stayed together. I think both halves will still make boards on the mill. Now it is all buried under the snow again!
KeymasterGreat videographer, There is a fair bit of Northland Sheep dairy (the home farm!) in the “view by farm”. ‘Why horses and mules’ will be added in the future, interviewing yours truly this week. Nice collection of information.
KeymasterA? Appalachian? Atlantic? All around? Just curious.
KeymasterA few years ago I would never have had dogs in the woods with me like that. I all ways tried to keep the dogs away while I was working horses and mules. trying to protect everyone and control everything. Now I am much more willing to ignore them, and the horses, adaptable animals that they are, follow my lead. Sometimes the dogs still get too under foot, and then I send them home. That is one of the few tricks they know.
KeymasterNo Ash borer yet, but they are getting closer. My feeling is, I have a lot of big ash, some past maturity and others with a variety of diseases and damage. I might as well start to take it out. I will still have some so I will be watching the ash borer for years. I plan to have some milled for a couple building projects I have in mind for this year. I will also mill some into 5/4 just to air dry. If I hit some really good logs I would consider selling some, I don’t expect many veneer logs.
Keymasterhi J-L, It sounds like a long day for sure. But isn’t it fun watching the power of the three abreast? One of my favorite hitches and I use it mostly in the winter. Pictures?
KeymasterKristan, Thanks for the thoughtful response. I definitely feel the supplement thing is a slippery slope. I think I will try to give my minerals and hay a closer look. I have had my share of colics and abscesses over the years, I have sometimes wondered if it wasn’t more than my share.
KeymasterThere are many schools of thought represented here on the answer to your question. I wish I knew how to search the site for all the threads that offer suggestions. You could read “starting them the old school way” I believe it is in the training draft animals area. you need to make a basic choice between the hook and go method, and taking all the steps apart and introducing each piece separately method. There are an infinite number of variations on these basic methods that introduce different elements in different ways. I lean toward braking the process up into a few steps. I also think these animals are very smart and if they think you aren’t sure what the purpose of it all is, they will resist quickly. That speaks to the need to work toward putting them in harness and going and doing something. What will be there first piece of work you ask them to do when they are ready? Do you have all the equipment you need? Just some thoughts – feel free to ask more specific questions. I think 14 years can be harder than other. younger animals. Your ability to read them and understand how they are reacting to what is going on will be critical to your success I would guess. Good luck. All that an no real answer, Sorry. Donn
KeymasterHi john, You would be more than welcome to send me a guard. I guess the other possibility would be a couple good close ups with a measurement or two. On second thought having it in hand might be most reliable.
KeymasterEach knife section is popular in certain areas and crops. The smooth knife was traditional for old style guards with ledger plates that have serrations of their own. Under serrated knives are still sharpenable. The top serrated knife is not sharpenable. Many folks today are using double guard typically made for a haybine or other more modern mower. The serrated knifes make sense with these smooth sided guards that have no ledger plate. I know that in different Amish communities there are different preferences, sometimes it is the difference between mowing a lot of alfalfa versus a lot of grass hay. I think the stemmier crop the more it lends it self to an aggressive serration. I have heard from many people that the smooth knife and grass hay is the best ever.
KeymasterHi Al, I think you might want to check into the D ring harness and how it works. Les Barden’s video is a good source of info. This harness is in fact different from a side backer, and does clearly remove ALL tongue weight to the back saddle. Check it out.
George, I am a little confused about how you tighten the FSS. Before you hook any tugs you have a choice of how long or short they should be. Then loosen one and tighten it after hooking all the tugs? Lazy strap is the strap that holds the FSS when not in use? You say tighten it until the FSS is almost to the attachment of the lazy strap. Do you mean raising the tongue? Does the FSS end up almost horizontal? Can some one recommend a good picture? Thanks for the help. Donn
KeymasterD ring users. Do you adjust a side strap (rear?) every time you put the harness on? IE. Loosen it to take it off tighten it again when you put it on? Any one using a large snap on one of the rear side straps at the britchen? How long should the front side strap be? IE. how far from the chest is the twin yoke when hitched? I imagine you adjust these to make all the horses the same and leave them alone. True? I have been using a two horse neck yoke on a three horse hitch, after early attempts at a three horse neck yoke didn’t work too well. The two horse set works OK, But annoying if the third horse won’t stay up in place. Thanks for all the help. Just waiting for a brtchen repair to fininsh my fourth harness.
KeymasterHi Harvey, My guess is you won’t find too many people with experience in all three models. Maybe you will. The big thing about the #7 and the # 9 was that the made them into the 1940’s and in the 20’s and 30’s they made millions. They are all over, (around here!) and there are parts available. I have never taken a hard look at any other mower. I am sure there are many other models that can and are being used to good effect.
KeymasterI don’t know if it safe to say it is best, but five horses are plowed with that hitch. It is something I hope to do this spring. The John deer two bottom I found last year came with a pole and eveners set up for five.
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